THE DUKE OF BUCCLEUCHMy Lords, may I ask the noble Marquess the Leader of the House whether he can give any indication as to when the Local Government (Scotland) Bill will be taken in this House?
§ THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY)My Lords, I am very glad indeed to give all the information in my power to the noble Duke. As I think he probably knows, we have every hope that this Bill will be received in your Lordships' House and read a first time on Tuesday, March 12. Then, according to our ordinary practice, I propose to give a week's interval between the First Reading and the Second Reading, which would bring us to Tuesday, March 19, for the Second Reading of the Bill. I am not quite sure whether the Scottish Peers require one day or two days for the Second Reading, but, if the 19th should not be sufficient, I should propose to assign the 20th too, so that they would have the two successive days for the Second Reading. Then for the Committee stage your Lordships would require again, according to your ordinary practice, another week's interval, and that would bring the Committee stage to Tuesday and Wednesday, March 26 and 27—the Tuesday and Wednesday before Easter. That would probably be sufficient. I need not say I can assure the 1164 noble Duke and other noble Lords who are interested in the Scottish Bill that I should be very glad indeed to hear anything they have to say to us and to meet their convenience if those days are not suitable.
THE DUKE OF BUCCLEUCHI am very much obliged to the noble Marquess. As far as I know the desires of Scottish Peers, what he has suggested would be most suitable. I do not know what noble Lords opposite are going to do, but I do not think the Bill will require a great deal of time.
§ EARL BEAUCHAMPMy Lords, as I have been appealed to, may I say I think the allowance made by the noble Marquess is a very generous allowance, as, after all, I think that noble Lords who are interested in the Scottish Bill will probably be able to accumulate sufficient ammunition to discharge their speeches upon the Second Reading even earlier than March 19. But, if the noble Marquess is good enough to allow a long period between the First and Second Readings I have no doubt it would be all the more pleasing to noble Lords from Scotland.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYI only desire to meet the convenience of your Lordships. If the Scottish Peers prefer to have the Second Reading rather earlier than the 19th I will see what I can do. I had not thought they would be ready to discuss the Bill within less than a week of its being received here.
THE DUKE OF BUCCLEUCHI think the 19th would be a suitable date. Sometimes a considerable time elapses before a Bill is printed.